Fresh Beginnings
by Yellowbuggedsavior
Summary: (no curse) Emma has to leave a new home behind after standing up for another, younger foster kid named Emily and gets sent to a new home that isn't great but after a while things change in her favor and she meets a lot of people who will help her heal and help her find out what home really is. **warning of abuse and self loathing**
1. when you leave a friend

It's happening again just like it has for the past 13 years of my life. These temporary care givers don't think I am worth the effort so they just send me packing to get a new and better child. I'm used to it in a way but even when I try not to take it personally and try not to get upset over it, I do anyways. At least they waited until the end of my 8th grade school year, maybe I'll be in the next home for all four years of high school. I just hope that the next "parents" I get are decent. I'm not asking for much, maybe just food and clothes and maybe even not to be hurt in a house just one time. The home, no wait not home, the house that I am leaving and the people that I am leaving today weren't horrible. There were three other kids in the house, there were three girls including me and one boy. One of the girls was 16 years old and the other was younger than me and was 5, the 5 year old Emily was a foster kid like me. She was so sweet but very shy, we got along pretty well I wish I didn't have to leave her, maybe she will get adopted by them she is adorable. Karen was the biological daughter along with Braiden being the biological son of the Demtry family. Karen ignored us all except for when she had a bad day then she would yell at me and try and make Emily sad by taking her dolls and stuff but usually I would steer her more towards me. There is no reason why I shouldn't try and protect someone like I wish someone did for me. Maybe she will pass it along and do the same. Now Braiden he was 15 and annoying, he never knew when to shut up or keep his hands to himself. I have grown accustom to being felt up by foster brothers and occasionally even a foster dad but it was usually just horny little foster brothers and his friends that he brings over to see his new foster sister. In this home it wasn't anything I couldn't handle it was mostly just annoying to be honest. If I sat by him at dinner he would put his hand on my leg. When he was walking by me he would hit my ass or try to grab my hand. Mostly I would just avoid being around him because I didn't want him to get any ideas about taking it further. Their parents were pretty decent, they fed me and Emily just like they fed their own children, which doesn't happen often, and they never hit us. Not that I would ever let them hit Emily, I'm older I can take it. The only thing, which I didn't mind, is that they really didn't try and get to know us, they just kind of had us there. Emily took that a little hard she kept trying to get their attention until finally one day Karen was annoyed and yelled at Emily saying that 'they don't want to get to know the worthless child that she is so she needs to stop trying' and then I proceeded to pushing her to back off away from Emily because Emily was starting to cry and looked terrified of the confrontation. Karen told her parents and then this is where I end up, being sent away from a decent house with at least one decent sibling that I wish I didn't have to leave.

Emily tried to get in the car with me when the social worker got there and when she got inches away from the door Karen pulled her back as one last victory of not letting her get close enough to escape and say goodbye. Good thing I don't give a rats ass about anyone at that house except for Emily so I got back out of the car and grabbed Emily to say goodbye. Karen couldn't really say anything because her parents were right there along with the social worker so I got to say my goodbyes  
"I don't want you to go" Emily whined

"I don't want to go either, I wish I could stay kid, just for you." Emma whispered so only Emily could hear.

"Do you think I'll ever see you again?" Emily had the biggest puppy dog eyes on and he lip started to tremble.

Pushing her ginger locks out of her face so I could look at her I said, "I will try my hardest to make it so that I can see you again. If my next foster family is nice maybe they will let me visit and I can send you card and stuff." Most likely my next home won't be great but she doesn't need to know that. I don't have the best of luck with homes.

"Maybe one day we will live together again?" I could see the hope in her eyes and I just couldn't let her down so I just nodded my head and she pulled me into a tight hug. I tried to let go so I could leave because I could tell that my social worker was getting impatient but Emily just held on for dear life.

"Emmy, hey, I gotta go, I'm sorry" showing my emotions in front of all these people isn't something I am comfortable with so I push through and try hard not to let those couple tears fall down when I feel Emily's shoulders shaking from crying.

"okay, I'll miss you a lot Em, don't forget me okay?" she had a serious and sad face all at once while trying to act like she was okay, and if it wasn't the saddest thing I have ever seen I would think it was the cutest thing a red head with blue eyes could ever do.

"I don't think I could if I wanted to," I said with a self-deprecating laugh.

We shared a small smile then I got into the back of the van and waited for my social worker to start driving. I know I shouldn't have but I looked back and saw Emily, she was starting to panic and was starting to run toward the van but Karen and her streak in bitchiness decided to put her foot out and make Emily fall. I wanted to get out of the van so bad and just punch her in the face but then I saw Emily who got up like it didn't even phase her and kicked Karen in the shin. In that moment I was proud that she didn't just let her push her down like that and a smile grew on my face. Then I saw the shocked faces of the Demtry's and knew that Emily was going to be sent somewhere new soon because Karen made the pain in her leg overdramatic and started bawling. I swear I saw Emily roll her eyes and smirk is I turned the corner to start another new beginning.


	2. when things are moved

I was in a group home until the end of summer when my social worker showed up at the building I was living in. She said that she was taking me to some couple in Maine, I think. I don't really care I just need to leave this group home, there are too many people and I feel like I haven't eaten for the whole time I have been here. Stupid older kids think that just because they are taller that they can do whatever they want. Ugh I hate them. Anyways, I kind of tuned out when my social worker was talking but I'm pretty sure she said I was going to a small town called Storybrooke? Is that even real? It's like a 5 hour drive from where I am, I hope that's not too long of a drive for me to go and see Emily. I miss her already, I figured I have learned my lesson about getting attached to people but apparently I'm too stupid to stay away from everyone. All of my summer wasted in this pit of a home 6 hours about to be wasted in the car on the way to my new home, I thought sarcastically.

As I got in the car with my duffle bag ready to go like every time I started to picture all of the different scenarios of good things that might be waiting for me there.

Will they have animals?

Will I have my own room?

Are there more kids in their house?

What if they spoil me?

Then my brain goes to the darker side

Will I get to eat every day?

What will they do if I say something wrong?

Will they hit me?

How many foster brothers can I handle in one house?

And last but most certainly the most important question that I ask myself every single new house is

Will I survive this house?

Somehow I was in my head for the whole ride because next thing I knew I saw the Storybrooke sign. I was relieved because I was sick of being in the car but then fear and anxiety crawled in because every new house I have to meet a new family and whole new group of peers. We just passed what looked to be a diner where a group of kids my age were walking out of. I starred at them for a minute until I realized what I was doing and looked forward towards the road. It was so quiet that when my social worker Heather talked I jumped a little.

"We're almost there, how are you feeling?" you can tell she has been doing this job too long sending too many kids to different homes all the time. She has been Emma's worker since she was two, and after so many times you can only show so much emotion for every kid. I guess she was all out of emotion for Emma's case.

Emma shrugs, "I'm fine." It's a defense mechanism, no matter how she really is that's her go to response.

The rest of the ride was in silence. About ten minutes later they pulled up to a house that was decent. Nothing really special about it but it seemed kind of dark to Emma. She has the worst feeling about this house and she doesn't like it. Heather walks up to the door and Emma follows behind closely which Heather notices. Usually when Emma acts this way it's bad news so she is going to take an extra close look when they talk. They both take a deep breath and then she knocks and a minute later a blonde guy with a kind smile opens the door. Heather seems to relax but to Emma something about the smile is off, like he is smiling way too hard for it to be real. No one is this happy to get a foster kid, especially when it's her.

"Hello! I'm Victor, and you must be Emma," he takes his eyes off of heather and looks at Emma as he says her name. It gives her the chills. She has a horrible feeling about this. "It's so nice to meet you! Why don't you both come in and look around, that drive must have been horrible!"

Emma and heather look at each other both seeming to have the same conclusion of this guy is way too enthusiastic for this. Heather goes in first right after Victor then Emma goes and just as she is closing the door, four teenagers walk by and they make eye contact with each other. Emma is pretty sure that's some of the group that left the diner, they must live close by. Once she catches up to the two adults' victor takes them to see the room that she will be staying in until he gets sick of her like everyone else. It's decent, it has a desk and a dresser a bed and even a closet. While Emma is looking around the room Heather and Victor are talking about the basics: school, food, behavior, punishment tactics, not being allowed to use Emma as a punching bag. Same old, same old. Emma plops down on the bed waiting to say goodbye to heather and yet scared to say goodbye as well.  
"Hey, Emma it's that time." She's trying to get a read on Emma but she already put the walls up higher than usual and it scares her.

"okay." Is all heather gets, that and a blank stare. She hates how much this poor girl has gone through during her whole life. If she was allowed to she probably would have adopted Emma the first time she was sent back. When she brought the subject up to her boss they shut her down real quick and ever since she has just tried to make sure that she got to live in nice homes.

Victor left to give them a little privacy and once heather made sure he wasn't close she leaned into Emma, "If he does anything you call me okay? You know my number and I will come right away. The drive will take a while but I will speed, hunny, do you understand me?"

Emma was thrown off by the emotion she sees in Heather's face she must feel like something is off as well. It makes Emma go still.

"Y-yeah okay, yeah I got it." Heather noticed the panicked looked and automatically felt bad for having to leave her once more. She brushed Emma's hair to go behind her ear and one last time said, "Okay, bye, it'll be okay. Text me with updates if you can, sweetie"

Emma noticed she looked pained leaving. Once she heard the front door shut everything fell quiet and everything felt so final. She watched from her window as heather pulled out of the drive way, suddenly feeling so connected to her and she didn't know why. Maybe it was because she felt uncomfortable, or maybe it's because she actually cared.

Hearing footsteps coming back upstairs Emma walked over to the desk chair and sat down waiting for him to come say something.

"Hey, Emma were you hungry? I mean I already ate but I could whip you up something really quickly or go get you something from granny's really quick" Emma was confused. Was he messing with her? She didn't know how to respond so she thought of a way to have the least conversation she could.  
"Thanks, but I ate on the way here and I'm really tired do you mind if I just go to bed now?" she thought she saw a flash of annoyance but that could just be her projecting things.  
"Yeah that's fine. I have work tomorrow so I will be gone most of the day I get home around 9:00pm so I'll leave you money to get food." He turned to leave but then, "Oh and I signed you up for school already it starts on Monday."

To be honest Emma wasn't even sure what day it was. She gets up and goes into the hallway to find a calendar and sees that it is Saturday right now. So she has school in two days. Great. Emma goes into her bag gets her one pair of pajamas and puts them on crawls into bed and just lets the darkness of the room consumer her into slumber to escape the world she is living. Unfortunately her dreams, or should I say her nightmares had a different plan and sent her to the one place she hated to be more than reality.


	3. when you bump into strangers

Reality sucks but sometimes nightmares suck for Emma more. If she knew she was going to have this nightmare she would have stayed away because it ruins her mood for the next day or two.

 _She's a baby_

 _Her parents look at her in disgust, "why is this what we got"_

 _Emma tries to smile and make them happy but they just keep starring the same way.  
They are setting her on the side of the road and about to drive off when she turns into a 5 year old _

_"Mommy? Daddy? Where are you going? Did you want me to come? I'll be good I promise!"_

 _"No Em-ma," her mother says in disgust "I don't want you to come, I don't want you! I wish I never gave birth to you. Why did you do this to me?"_

 _Emma ages some again and now she is 10_

 _"I didn't do anything to you?! You left me on the side of the road like a monster! Why didn't you take me to a hospital or something!" the older she got the angrier she was._

 _"YOU WEREN'T GOOD ENOUGH FOR A HOSPITAL! YOU'RE LUCKY I DIDN'T PUT YOU IN THE TRASH WHERE YOU BELONG!" her mother screamed at her._

 _Emma took a few steps back because those blows hurt her. She felt like she couldn't breathe so she reached out to touch her dad for comfort but he leaned back and away from like he was disgusted to be touched by such a vial thing. She fell to the ground and looked up at them clawing at her throat trying to breath. It was hard to speak but she breathed out "why don't you love me?" in a weak sad voice and she gets the same answer every single time_

 _"Because you aren't worthy of being loved. No one can ever love you Emma, you are worthless"_

Emma shoots up in bed sweat soaking her clothes and blanket. She gets up and looks around confused for a second and then it hits her. She's in a new house with a new guardian. Once she stops shaking uncontrollably she slowly opens her door to go to the bathroom. Not exactly familiar with the house seeing as she got here went up to her room and then went to sleep, she had to feel around to find the bathroom. Once she did, she splashed water on her face after taking her shirt of now being in only her sports bra and shorts she wipes her face off and heads back to her room quickly just in case victor woke up. She lays on her new bed and just stares at the ceiling thinking of her nightmare and just slowly begins to cry. She doesn't know why her parents left her on the side of the road. Maybe her dream was right maybe she was just such a disappointment that her parents couldn't deal with her at a day old. Was she really so unlovable? Apparently so she thinks. The tears don't stop coming until she cried herself to sleep maybe two hours later.

When she wakes up the next morning it is too loud laughter from someone right outside drifting through the window. Turning her head she sees that it's almost 1:00pm, she didn't even check the time when she woke up last night. Not that she usually does for those nightmares, she was kind of distracted at the moment. Taking one last long stretch she gets up and does her morning routine of washing her face, brushing her teeth, showering, brushing her hair and then getting dressed. Today she put on a pair of blue jean shorts and a white spaghetti strap flowy tank top with a crisscross back with her swan necklace and converse. She put her hair half up and half down and put on some eyeliner. Ready for the day she went downstairs releasing a long sigh as she walked into the kitchen to find $30 sitting on the counter. Again she somehow feels like this is a trick and too good to be true but she picks up the money puts it in her pocket and then looks in the fridge. There wasn't really anything easy to make and she was really hungry so she decided the best idea would be to walk to that diner she saw on the way in town. She made sure to grab her IPod and headphones she got from Heather 2 years ago for her birthday and Christmas combined. Putting her headphones in she started walking in the direction she hoped was correct.

She saw the diner in view and for the first time thought about all the people that might be in there right. She wonders if they will notice her or if it's totally normal for random new people to show up. when she got to the door she pulled it open while taking one of the two headphones out. Looking up she noticed everyone was looking at her and she just froze for a second before an elderly lady called out to her,

"Hello there, sweetie pie and who might you be? Did you just move here?" she had the biggest smile on her face but it was sweet like a grandma. _If she knew what it was like to have one_.

"u-uh, I'm Emma," she said as she pulled out her other ear bud and walked fully into the door.

"Well it's nice to meet you Emma, you can call me granny everyone does, why don't you go ahead and take a seat anywhere you like and then I'll come and take your order in a minute, here's the menu." As granny walked off to presumably help another customer, Emma looked around the diner to find a seat to her liking. Her eyes landed on a booth in the back corner. Her lips curled into a slight smile at the seclusion. She hates big crowds or small crowds where everyone is staring at you on a regular day so it is especially worse today because it's a bad day. She is not in the mood to talk to anyone. She opens the menu once she gets to her booth and starts to look at the foods and good news they have her three favorite things: Grilled cheese, burgers and onion rings. Even though she knew what she wanted she continued to stare at the menu because she could still feel eyes on her and she didn't want to deal with conversation so she'll stare at it until granny comes over here and takes her order. Maybe she will even get it to go so she doesn't have to deal with this her whole meal. I mean who stares at people this long? Maybe they would continue through her meal. Yup, she has decided she's getting take out. Just as she decided granny came over and took her order which was a grilled cheese a thing of onion rings and a hot cocoa to go please. After granny went to go put her order in Emma put her headphones in so that time would go by quicker which it did because it felt like seconds later that granny was back with her food in a brown paper bag and a cup. Emma said a quick goodbye to granny and started to dart for the door and once she got there she was so dead set on getting out she didn't notice a couple walking in through the same door at the same time. She noticed at the last second not spilling her hot cocoa but still nudging into a women with a short black pixie cut who made a high pitched scream out of surprise. Emma's first reaction was fear so she apologized relentlessly, "OH MY GOSH! I am SO so so sorry, I was just, and then you were, but I didn't see you I am so sorry." Emma was panicking because as usual she messed up no wonder her parents hated her. She probably deserved whatever this lady was going to say or do to her.

Mary Margaret gave David, her husband, a concerned look about how this blonde girl was so concerned about such a small little bump, the girl had missed her mostly maybe just skimmed her arm. MM just wasn't expecting it when she opened the door so it frightened her. Her husband looked just as confused as she did.

Emma was looking down at her feet when she heard the lady say, "It's okay, you barely even hit me. Are you okay? You seemed to reverse so fast to not hit me that you must've bent something weird." When Emma looked up she saw the couple smiling at her and now she was blushing, she hates attentions.  
"Yeah, I'm good. Sorry again" she says as she rushes past them so fast that MM has to go up on her tiptoes so that the girl had enough room to pass.

"It's okay!" MM yells out the door to the unknown girl who she just now realized she never got the name of, "would have been nice to at least get her name." she says to herself or David she isn't sure. They walk the rest of the way in and realize the whole place is watch them.

"Who was that?" she asks granny

"Emma." Granny said nonchalantly like it explains everything.

"Okay? Any other info?" David finally spoke.

"That's all she told me she was out of her so fast. I don't think she liked the attention from all these nosy ass snoopers!" she yelled loud enough for everyone in there to hear making some giggle and some look down into their plates in slight shame.

Down the road Emma was walking super-fast to get back to the house she now lives in so she can curl up in a ball and just disappear after she eats her yummy food. She walks in the door and goes straight for the counter to eat. She practically inhaled her food and cocoa so fast it felt like she didn't even have it. Now Emma doesn't know what to do for the rest of the day. She definitely isn't going back out she'll have to deal with school tomorrow that's enough. She ends up just hanging around the house writing in her journal, going through her clothes and looking around the house. When she gets to the basement door it's locked and that scares her a little too much. She looks around for a key to open it but couldn't find anything. Giving up she went up to her room and laid on her bed listening to more music. Soon she will have to go get another meal. Maybe she'll stick it out and actually eat there.

Once she got there, there were a few less people and a different person working. She looked around my age with a red streak down her brunette hair. She was super skinny and pretty. _So much prettier than me._

"Hi! I'm Ruby are you staying here to eat or taking it to go?" she smiled politely.

"uh, I'll eat here I guess." Emma shifted uncomfortably.

"okay follow me, uh, I'm sorry I didn't ask your name?" she smiles sheepishly.  
"Emma." She gave her a small smile that only lasted a few seconds at most.

"So Emma, did you just move here? Do you have any siblings? Where do you live? OH, what grade are you?" with every question ruby seemed to get more and more excited like it was her life goal to know Emma.

Emma isn't used to all the questions so her default would be to say something offensive and make her not want to talk to her anymore but it's her first day and she is feeling to drained to do anything.

"Yup, just got here. No siblings. I live on this street far down with this guy named Victor and I am starting my 9th year." Emma sat back in her booth with her arms crossed waiting for a response and when it came it was exactly what was expected.

"Why do you live with Victor?" she asked with her face all contorted

"Because I do?" Emma was getting a little defensive but it's not her fault she is tired and hungry and those two don't mix, plus she is always grumpy so whatever.

Ruby seemed to take a step back in the conversation, "Oh sorry I didn't mean to get personal or ask to many questions."

"It's fine. Not a big deal." There it is. It's fine but not really. "Can I just get a burger with onion rings and a cup of hot cocoa with cinnamon?"

"Oh, yeah of course. It'll be right up." Ruby walked away with her face scrunched up kind of like she was in pain.

 _Great job Emma now you hurt some stranger's feelings way to fucking go you stupid shit head. Why didn't you just yell at her to go away probably would have saved you time._

Emma put her head in her hands and just blankly stared at the table waiting to eat. While on the other side of the diner Ruby was confused by what just happened and whether or not she offended Emma because she really didn't mean to. Granny saw the look on Ruby's face and walked over to her.

"Hey darlin' what's gotcha down in the dumps?" she said as she put an arm around Ruby.

"What? Oh nothing, I just, I think I offended that new Emma girl. I don't think she likes being asked questions." She said with a frown.

"Well, with the way you ask questions a mile a minute I'm sure she got a little overwhelmed that's all. No biggie" granny shrugged and started to walk away.  
"Yeah. I guess so…" Ruby said as she walked over to grab Emma's food and takes it to her. "okay here you are one burger and onion rings plus a hot cocoa with cinnamon!"

"thanks." Emma sighed.

"Of course." Ruby said not sure if she should acknowledge what happened earlier but then choosing too, "I'm really sorry for before my granny tells me I ask too many questions at a time and that it's overwhelming so I'm sorry."

Emma doesn't look up from her food but she does say, "Don't worry about it, it's okay."

Once Emma is done with her food she gets up and pays then leaves without a word to anyone else. When she gets home she crawls into bed and hears the door slam as she closes her eyes signaling that her foster father has just gotten home.


	4. when things start to feel better

I woke up to the sound of my alarm and I really just wanted to hit the snooze button. New schools suck so badly. Maybe I should just not go it isn't like I'll actually become something in life. She gets up and goes to the bathroom and gets ready for the day. She put on light blue shorts with another white t shirt and a dark blue and maroon flannel. She leaves her hair down with her natural waves and grabs her IPod as she heads down the stairs. Victor is still home and he is in the kitchen.

"Good morning, stranger." He says

"Morning." She replies not know what about him is just giving her the creeps.

"I'll drop you off at school today so you know where it is but otherwise you'll have to walk, I should be at work right now."

"Alright."

"Okay, let's go."

Emma walks out of the house with him to his car and gets in the back seat. She isn't comfortable enough with him to go up front with him.

When they reach the school Emma gets out and walks into the building. She has to go to the office and get her schedule. Then she has to figure out where all her classes are.

"Hello, are you a new student" asks the receptionist.

"Yup, I need my schedule."

"Okay, what's your name?"

"Emma Swan."

"Okay it will be just a moment."

She stood there waiting for about 5 minutes until the receptionist finally handed her the schedule. Leaving, she almost ran into a group of kids passing the door but ended up jumping to the side so she didn't. She didn't want a repeat of grannies. Her schedule was:

1st period: Algebra - Gold

2nd period: Social Studies- Graham

3rd period: Government - Booth

4th period: English - Blanchard

5th period: Lunch

6th period: P.E. – Nolan

She walks into her first class and sits in the back corner against the wall. Waiting for class to start she had her headphones in not paying attention to anything that was happening in the room until a dark haired girl sat in the seat next to her. _Out of all the seats in the room why did she choose next to me._ She was pretty just like that Ruby girl. Maybe this was a secret town of models. _If that is the truth I need to leave because I am definitely not worthy._ 2 minutes until the bell goes off so I take out my headphones but as I did I pulled on my IPod causing it to fall to the floor right under this girl's chair. She seemed to notice so she reached under and grabbed it handing it back to me.

"Thanks." Emma said in an almost un-hearable voice.

"Of course, I'm Regina by the way." She smiled and stuck out her hand

"Emma." She said as she shook this girl's hand.

"I heard that Gold is an asshole, maybe we can go to each other if we need help with it instead of him."  
"I'm really good at math, so we'll see." Emma said not sure why everyone keeps talking to her.

"Okay well then maybe I'll just be coming to you." She laughed.

I just smiled slightly and then looked forward as the class began. Regina was in my first three classes with me so far along with some of her friends. Belle, Robin, Killian, Ruby (who I've met) and Elsa. They all seemed like decently nice people. Maybe I'll have some friends this year. _I can't, I'm not worth it. People like me aren't friends with people like them. I'll just push them away anyways._

It was time for my next class, this is the last one before lunch. _I'm so hungry._ I walked in and most of the class was already in the room so all that was left to sit in was the front row. _Yay me._ I sit down and wait for the teacher to come in but when she does its not what I expected not that I could really expect anything. But I definitely wasn't planning on being taught by the women I ran into at the diner. To be honest I don't know why I got scared maybe because I am so used to being punished for things I did on accident.

Walking in the classroom as the teacher I looked throughout the whole room but my eyes landed on that blonde girl from the diner the other day. She looked a little scared so I smiled gently to her and she seemed to take that as a good sign relaxing a little bit.

"Good morning, you beautiful people!" she said in the cheeriest voice possible. You got a couple giggles a couple good mornings back and then the rest just sat in silence. Emma being a part of the last one.

As MM went over the things that will be happening throughout the year Emma was deep in her own thoughts.

 _Of course she has to see your face every day. You run into people carelessly and then they are forced to teach you. You deserve everything you get. Why are you such a moron. You don't deserve anything you get unless it's a punch to the gut. Why do you even keep trying to play nice with people you know everyone will eventually leave you. You aren't worth staying. Just push everyone away like usual and maybe you will stay for at least a week. No one thinks you are important enough to keep. You are a piece of trash just go away already. No one would miss you…_

"Excuse me," the teacher tried to get the blondes attention. "Hello?" she waved her hands in front of the young girls face getting her attention.

Emma jumped back a little "oh sorry!"

"Class is over sweetie it's time for lunch. Are you okay?"

Emma looked at her, "Yup, fine." She gets up and walks out.

MM is left there feeling slightly concerned about this new student, Emma.

Lunch, Emma is so excited to eat. She is so hungry. What she isn't excited for is finding a seat but when she walks in she hears her name.

"HEY EMMA! OVER HERE." Yells Regina.

 _Seriously why won't they just stop trying I'm not worth it?_

I keep walking and looking around for somewhere else when I hear it again.

"EMMMMMMAAAAAAAAA!" this time it wasn't one person it was all of them which caused the rest of the room to look at them.

 _Seriously was that necessary_. Well I can't pretend to not hear them anymore.

Slowly turning around with a fake face I walked over to their table and sat down looking at her tray.

It's all of the people she met throughout her first 3 classes all of them looking for her to say something, anything.

"Sorry I didn't hear you." She lies looking down.

"It's okay!" Ruby, Belle and Regina all say at the same time as Robin and Killian just nod their heads in agreement.

I'm sitting in the middle with Ruby on the left of me and Killian on the right Regina across from me, Robin to the right next to Regina and Belle to the left next to Regina. The table is full now that I joined I hope I didn't take some ones place. Which I most definitely probably did.

They all talked about classes and teachers and how boring or fun they were. I sat there listening not putting my input in. they seemed to have realized I'm more of a listener and stopped trying to add me in to talk but they still included me. Regina was in the middle of telling Ruby the story of how gold almost face planted on the first day when I felt someone standing right behind me.

"That's my seat." The strange man said with anger in his voice.

My automatic response was get up and give it to him so it doesn't cause a scene but as I was standing Killian put his hand on my shoulder and pushed me back to sitting with a soft smile. Then he turned to the guy and said, "No it's not Jefferson. Go away. You're a dick!"

Killian looked pissed as well as the rest of the group. I was just confused and didn't want to be in this drama. I slowly start to get up again and make an excuse that I have to go to the bathroom where in response I got

"You don't have to go he is just being a douche." From Regina

"Are you feeling okay?" from Belle

And an understanding look from Ruby who seemed to understand why I wanted to leave even though that's impossible. She doesn't know me.

Leaving the cafeteria she decided to just head to her next and last class P.E. she likes gym class mostly she likes to run it clears her head a lot. Maybe she will just go into the gym and run for a little bit before class. Only problem is she was so in her head that she rain full force into a man. _ARE YOU KIDDING ME EMMA DO YOU HAVE TO RUN INTO EVERYONE IS IT A HOBBY GOD!_ Emma was so done with running into people why can't she just stop getting in her head so much! Emma fell to the ground and the guy hunched over from the force.

"agghh!"

"UUGHH"

The yelled out in sync. Tears welled in her eyes from the pain of the fall but it wasn't the worst thing that has happened to her she is just thankful that Victor hasn't started to hit her yet or this fall would have been ten times worse.

"oh my gosh are you okay?" asked the man, who when she looks up notices that it is that man that was behind who she now knows as Mrs. Blanchard at the diner.

"Yeah," she said while getting up annoyed with herself "just peachy." She wipes the floor off of her and says, "Sorry I didn't mean to I was just distracted."

"I actually think it was my fault I came walking out of that classroom way too fast for anyone to have time to push the breaks." He smiled sheepishly.

"oh." Is all Emma says before walking away.

And once again leaving a very confused David behind her. Neither of them knowing that she will be in his last class of the day.

Emma ended up just sitting in the gym waiting for her class to start. She didn't feel like running after that literal run in with that guy and she also didn't want to go back to the cafeteria and have to deal with that other guy names Jefferson. I shouldn't be involved in stuff like this already I just got here.

As people started entering the gym I noticed that Elsa and Ruby are in this class. Maybe the others will be in here as well and surely at the last second Killian walked in. _Well at least finding a partner won't be hard._

When Ruby saw her she smiled and pointed towards me to show Elsa where I was and once she saw a little smile showed up on her face as well. Killian was talking with some other guys at the moment so he hasn't noticed her. _Not that I'm noticeable._

"Hey Emma! I wish I knew we were in the same class I would have totally left with you!" Ruby sort of whine talked to her.

"Maybe next time then?" even though she wasn't the most social person she still knows when someone feels bad and she hates being the cause of that.

They shared a small smile as they each sat on either side of Emma waiting for the teacher to appear through the door.

"I heard that Mr. Nolan is the track coach this year, I'm joining this year and I might do long distance but I'm not sure haven't really decided." Ruby definitely didn't like when there was a silence so she fills it.

"You run track?" Emma asks curiously because she has thought about it on occasion but usually she isn't in a home long enough for it to be more fun than a hassle.

"Yeah, why? Are you interested in joining! Oh my gosh we can totally do it together and then on weekends we can train! It would be so fun! Oh now you have to do it!"

"I'll think about it, when are try outs or whatever?"

"I think Wednesday after school. I can totally give you a ride home after if you need it."

"Uh, I'll let you know by tomorrow."

And just then Mr. Nolan or as Emma knows him Mr. Strange guy who I happened to run into before class walked in and started talking about what the class would be like. There is something soothing about the way he speaks something comforting but Emma pushes it off to being some weird first day of school exhaustion.

After Nolan talked for about 15 minutes he let us roam around the gym and talk to each other. Killian finally spotted us and headed our way to come and walk with us. I still don't understand how someone with a British accent ends up in a small town in Maine. _And again he is model status. I probably shouldn't even look at him it might hurt his pretty._

"Hey ladies! So we are going to be stuck with each other in multiple classes how lucky of me!" he said with his eyebrow raised and the biggest smile on his face.

"Shut up Killian you know you love us!" ruby said as she pushed his shoulder.

"And you wouldn't know what to do without us!" added Elsa

"In that you are both correct! What about you, love, excited for a year full of gym class with us crazies?" he smirked

I know I shouldn't have taken the bait but for some reason this group of people that have wormed their ways into talking to me I did. "I don't know I'm sure I can handle them they are pretty amazing, but you? Hmmm I'm going to have to put the jury out for that one." And then I walked a little faster so I didn't see the looks of shock from all three of them which was probably because I hadn't really spoken that much until that sentence. So I look at them and just give a playful, "What? Didn't know I can speak more than two words at a time." And that is when they started to smile and go about their business as usual.

Once class was over I started to walk home when I heard someone trying to catch up to me.

"Hey Emma wait up!" Regina called

I slowed down and turned waiting for her. "Oh sorry I didn't know you lived this way or that you walked."

"Same with you but I guess now we both know and can walk together/suffer together." She said with a smirk and I smiled.

The day had gotten incredibly easier once I stopped overthinking for a moment and just lived in the moment. The only thing I hate about forgetting is that usually that means the other shoe will drop soon and I really don't want that to happen.

We walked together in silence, not one of those awkward ones but a pleasant one until we reached her home and she left then it was just lonely silence. When I got to my new front door I had a strange feeling in my gut telling me not to go inside to just turn around and run the other direction. No one would miss me maybe I wouldn't be caught this time. For some reason I didn't listen to my gut and I turned the handle and walked into the house that should feel safe for me not knowing what waited for me inside.


	5. when things emplode

***Trigger warning* there is VERBAL ABUSE and some PHYSICAL ABUSE also PROPHANITY if you don't like cussing I am sorry!**

I'm always cautious in a new home, never knowing how my new guardian will act towards me. Which is was leads me to walking slowly into the kitchen to grab a glass and get some water. Unfortunately Victor is in here, I haven't been around him long enough to understand his personality yet but with the way he's sitting he looks extremely irritated which makes me 10 times more nervous than I was when I walked into this room.

"Hey." I said cautiously trying to get a read on him.

He just glared at me so I shrugged it off and got my glass, unfortunately I didn't realize that the cup I grabbed was holding up three other glass cups and when I took that one out the other three fell out and onto the floor making a mess all over the floor. My eyes went wide and my skin paled not sure how to prepare for what might happen next.

"WHAT THE FUCK! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?" He got up slamming his hands on the counter, I flinched.

"I-I'm so-rry! I'll clean it up. I didn't mean to really." I rushed out trying to search the room for a broom or anything to clean it up while also keeping an eye on the distance in which Victor was from me.

"OF FUCKING COURSE YOU WILL PICK IT UP I DIDN'T BRING YOU HERE SO I CAN CLEAN UP YOUR MESSES YOU WORTHLESS BITCH? WHAT DO YOU THINK I AM?" Victor was stepping around the counter towards me so I stepped back, counting my victories that there was a pile of glass shards in between us and he has no shoes on. I was nervous to ask but I don't know this house or where anything is so I had to.

"I'm sorry. Where is the broom? I'll clean it right now." I said quietly looking at the floor.

"Broom," he scoffed "you don't get to use a broom. Use your hands, just like you used your hands to make this mess." He started to walk away.

"My hands will get all cut up." As soon as the words were out of my mouth I knew that they weren't the right ones. _Great job Emma making shit worse once again._  
"Well, _orphan_ , you should have thought about that before making the mess." He said getting into my face so close that I could feel his breath hit my face.

"It was an accident." I choked out because even though I am terrified in this moment I can't seem to not defend myself. Which in this case was apparently a bad idea.

"I DON'T GIVE A SHIT IF IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!" he shouted while at the same time he pushed me hard enough to fall onto the ground that was layered with skin piercing shards of glass. The glass was digging into my hands and parts of my legs. I tried to get up because it hurt so badly but as soon as I got half way up he used his foot to put me back to where I started again. "Stay down there until every shard is fucking gone." If that wasn't enough he decided to pick up my cup that I sat on the counter when this all started and threw it at my back causing a sharp pain throughout my body. _I should have known this is how this house would go. It doesn't surprise me. It's my fault anyways, I shouldn't have even tried to get a drink. Why am I so stupid? I should have gone straight to my room. I always ruin everything._

Cleaning up took about an hour because my legs and back were in pain because of the glass and then because of the cup thrown at me. Luckily my hands went numb so I just rushed through it so I could get done. I didn't even realize my eyes were watering from the pain I was too focused on what to expect from this monster later. It's like he was watching me because as soon as I finished and finally stood up I heard footsteps coming up the stairs from the basement. I tried to walk quickly passed the door so that I could get to the stairs that lead up to my room but right after I passed the door he opened it and reached out for my arm. I tried to run pass but he caught me and slammed me into the wall. I whimpered out because he was pushing on the glass shards that were still stuck in my body because I haven't gotten them out yet and also because my head connected with the wall rather harshly.

"If you ever fucking talk back to me again you won't like what happens to you. Just remember that I am a doctor I know how far I can go and I know how to bring people back to life even though the world would probably be better without you in it." He spat at me. No literally he was spitting in my face it was gross. His words hit me like a bullet all my thoughts and fears were right. This will probably be the worst home I've ever stayed in. I tried to smoosh into the wall to escape the closeness but he seemed to notice and he pressed into me harder and then grabbed my face. "If you tell anyone about how you cut your hands I will literally kill you and dispose of your body where no one ever goes. I've done it before and I'm not afraid to do it again to someone as worthless as you. No one would even notice you were gone and if they did they would probably just assume you ran away." He started off serious and towards the end he was laughing and scoffing at how easy it would be to get rid of my body. That's not creepy at all. Nope.

His grip on my face was so tight it was getting hard to breath. I was trying not to show emotion so that I didn't show how scared and hurt I was in the moment but as time went on it was getting harder and harder.

"Did you fucking hear me you idiot?" he asked with force.

Of course I heard him I just try not to dignify a lot of the things he says with an answer because I have known a couple pyscho's like him throughout my life and they like when you sass back or even just talk back.

"Yes." Simple, sweet and should get no backlash.

He pushes on my one more time then releases me. I slouch some because it's hard to stand with shards of glass in your knees and legs. He walks away and I run, well, hobble up the stairs and into the bathroom and lock the door hoping that I can hold my tears in until I at least get into my room.

About an hour later I got all the pieces of glass out of my body and I have the tub filling up for me to soak in. I know that it's going to hurt like a bitch but pain is something I'm used to. Once the tub is filled enough I step into it and instead of slowly emerging into the water I go fast so that the pain all happens at once. Which apparently treating this like a band aide wasn't the best choice. I had to suppress a scream from the stinging sensation that was happening all over my body at once. My eyes were watering and I felt myself slipping into the darkness I tried to fight it but my body wouldn't let me. The last thing I remember before I passed out was me thinking, if I died here no one would honestly care and I'd be free.

It must have been about 20 minutes later that I woke up because the water was really cold. I forgot about my hands being cut up for a minute and I tried to use them to push myself out of the tub. Obviously failing I fell back in, it then took me a few minutes to use my leg strength and my elbows to get up out of the tub. I grabbed my plaid pajama pants and my white tank top I wear to sleep and put them on slowly and carefully so to not hit my cuts.

Once I was ready for bed I slowly opened the bathroom door then ran as fast as I could to my room and shut the door. The first thing I realized while crawling into bed was that it was going to be really hard to fall asleep when I like to sleep on my stomach but with all the cuts there it was hurt too much so I have to lay on my back like a dead person. _How fitting._ The second thing I thought about was how hard it was going to be to cover this all up with the weather still being so hot from the summer. _No one will probably even notice or care so why does it matter. They will probably just tell me I shouldn't have dropped the cups._ I fall asleep with all these little self-deprecating thoughts going through my head along with planning how to handle after school tomorrow. I know one thing for sure and that is I'm not going to try and get a glass of water.

 **HELLO THERE :3  
I honestly don't have specific times I will be updating. It is usually just whenever I can but if I do start doing it less frequently feel free to pm me to do more (don't be mean please lol) I will at least do it once a week I promise. Tell me what you think! And you can give me ideas this is just kinda happening as it happens nothing really planned except a couple things ;)**


	6. when you try and hide your pain

**SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG! I just got back to campus so I was getting classes figured out! Tell me if you have suggestions or anything I might use it depending on if I can get into it. I plan on putting the outfits that Emma wears along with random other pictures I might use. ALSO SECOND PERIOD IS SCIENCE NOW AND THIRD IS JUST SOCIAL STUDIES I SORRY!**

 **Just for a warning guys I am going to have to go from what Emma is thinking to teachers because Mary Margaret and David are important characters and I want to have like a chain of people talking about how Emma looks and get how teachers do notice things so sorry if it gets confusing. I will put the perspective I am going from.**

 _Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep Bee-_

I slam my hand down on my alarm without being fully awake and realizing that it was going to hurt.

"FUCK!" I screeched while holding my hand trying to stop the throbbing.

"What a way to start the day, Emma." I say sarcastically to myself while slowly sitting up in bed. For some reason it feels so much worse today, maybe it's because it has had some time to heal only to be broken when I get up. Some of the cuts have dried blood coming out of them so I walk over to the bathroom to clean myself up and do my morning routine of brushing my hair and teeth. Then I went back into my room to get dressed. _Let's see what can I wear today, it has to be long sleeves and long pants. OH here we go, I can wear a white shirt with my black skinnies and my green jacket with these brown shoes. No one will see any of the cuts. I might sweat to death but that's okay. I am going to be doing a lot of fake smiling today._

After I finished getting dressed I noticed how it hurt to have clothes rubbing against the area but I can't really do anything about it so I go to the main bathroom to search for some kind of medicine I can take to help and I find oxycodone. I've never used that before but I can't handle the pain so I take one and shove three others in my jean pocket just in case this one doesn't do anything.

Now I have to start walking to school since my "caregiver" said he won't have time for this. I put my headphones in and I start to listen to this new band or whatever that I found called Neck Deep. Every step I take hurts because I have to bend my legs but I try to focus on something else so it doesn't hurt. I start to count the cracks in the sidewalk. _6….._

 _88 89 90 91 92 and I'm there. Look normal Emma just smile._

Right as I walk through the door Regina spots me

"Emma! Hey!" she says walking up to me with Ruby and Elsa.

"Hey guys!" I say enthusiastically and the three girls are a little shocked at how happy I was. _Way to go Emma you were too happy._ "What's up guys? I don't remember do we have the first class together?"

"Yeah I'm the only one in your first class and then we are all in the next two with graham and booth then you have your last class before lunch without us, which I'm a little happy about Blanchard is waaay to happy and it makes me feel like a grumpy old man." Regina replies while the other two girls agree and laugh at the image she just created of herself as a grumpy old man.

"I think she is nice, but I see what you mean about her being super happy. She kind of reminds me of snow white." I say with a pondering look on my face. _I think the meds are working yay._ They all just looked at me as their eyes slowly got bigger.  
"EMMA YOU ARE A GENIUOS! THAT'S PERFECT" they were all saying the same thing multiple different ways and it shocked me so I backed up a little and giggled. _Giggled I don't giggle. Man these are fantastic._ They were all laughing and then we all just heard Regina kind of mumble to herself

"that must mean I'm the Evil Queen…" she looked done that she just happened to say that she didn't like Blanchard now and I happened to find that statement hilarious because I laughed super loudly getting the attention of the three girls and then half of the rest of the hallway. _Go big or go home right Emma?_ The rest joined in but once we started walking towards our classes and the laughter died down Ruby asked me a question that for some reason I wasn't quite ready for.

"Ems why are you wearing a jacket it's like 90 degrees outside?" she asked with a furrowed brow and I guess the question seemed to be bugging Elsa and Regina as well because they both looked up to me.

I took a minute pretending like I didn't know what she said and when she repeated the question I answered

"Oh this? It's no big deal. I just get cold really easily especially when I first wake up and so I always bring a jacket. Plus it's super comfy." I held my arms out in front of me and starred at my sleeves while talking and fortunately the seemed to think the answer was perfectly normal. _Or maybe I am getting way to good at lying._

"Yeah I get that. I have this really comfortable light blue long sleeve shirt that I love to wear but I get hot really easily so I have to wait until winter. I LOVE winter!" Elsa was adorable she got so enthusiastic every time she talked I swear she could make a conversation about hay really interesting.

"Elsa gets super cute in the winter just wait and see she has the cutest outfits and if you think her eyes couldn't get any bigger just wait until she sees snow." Regina giggled as she was talking and Elsa looked a little embarrassed that people seemed to have noticed how happy she gets in the winter time.

"I like winter too, but I think my favorite is fall. Where it's just perfect weather. You can go for walks and just get away without thinking about whether or not it will be too hot or too cold ou-" I start to giggle and they look confused because I wasn't done with my sentence "sorry it's just we made a snow white reference and now I am talking like I'm goldilocks." Then it seemed to dawn on them and they started to laugh too. _Man Emma we need to steal the whole bottle and put it in our room I feel light and happy for once. Why did I even take these? Oh yeah.._

Apparently my face was showing my displeasure of remembering because ruby put her hand on my arm and asked if I was okay and what just happened.

"Sorry," I say with a slight smile "it's just really early my brain doesn't know how to process." I did a little cough laugh. "so, class, lets go to it." I say as I continue to talk.

After saying short goodbyes Regina and I went into Golds classroom and walked to the back of the room where our seats are and as I was trying to sit down I almost fell.

"Whoa, Emma are you okay?" Regina asked concerned.

"Yeah, ha ha, sorry. I'm just still tired and apparently I don't know how to walk." I wait until she looks away before I wince because of the way I had to jerk not to fall on my ass. _So fucking much for not hurting all day Emma._ As class starts the pain goes away slowly and them I just stare off into space and every once in a while tune into what the teacher is speaking about.

As I get up to go across the hall to my next class I get a little dizzy but I just walk it off. It's better than being in pain.

"Hey Emma, Regina!" calls Killian.

"Hey, what's up?" Regina replies while I politely smile and wave. _Well apparently my giggles are gone._

As conversation goes on around me I decide to close my eyes for a moment of pure piece but when I open my eyes the whole group is looking at me.

"Oh! Hey guys. Sorry did you say something?" I asked in surprise to the whole group.

"Are you okay? You just don't seem like yourself?" asked Ruby who seemed to be voicing the question for everybody.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize you knew me long enough to know what my real personality is. You've know me for what? Like one day?" I snapped and everyone either raised their eyebrows or opened their mouths unless you are Regina then apparently one or the other isn't good enough you have to do both. I know it was probably uncalled for but seriously leave me alone I am just trying to get through the fucking day. I thought no one was going to respond until Regina spoke up.  
"Sorry that we care." She said with a hurt voice with slight offence added into it.

"Nothing to really care for." which apparently is something that I decided to say out loud but in just a whisper so no one else heard. It still shocked me though because I keep those thoughts in my head usually so my eyes got a little big.

"I'm sorry what did you say I didn't hear you?" she asked innocently because apparently she realized something was said but just not what was said.

"Nothing. Just sorry." I say

"Oh, it's okay." She said letting out a breath. Everyone else just mumbled it was okay and then made small talk until the teacher came in. Honestly I don't think I am very off on the town being full of models because I'm pretty sure that science teachers shouldn't be allowed to be this attractive. Isn't it like a safety hazard? Ruby must have been thinking the same thing because next thing I know she is leaning back by me and all the other girls saying "Holy god damn how am I supposed to do work?" To which I reply, "Fucking right? And that accent." and then we all just kind of starred for a few minutes before coming to our senses and writing notes. We wrote down formulas and vocab for the rest of the class.

{GRAHAM's PERSPECTIVE}

When I walked into class it was honestly really hot in the class room so I took my lab coat off and then said my Good Mornings to the class to which I got a loud reply. Lovely. I looked around my classroom and noticed everyone was in the least amount of clothes possible for school until my eyes laid upon the new girl, I believe her name is Emma. She is wearing a jacket and black skinnies. _What in the bloody hell she must be burning up. Why would she choose to wear this on a day that is 90 this early just wait until later she will suffocate._ There is something about Emma that just doesn't seem right. I give everyone formulas and vocab to work on for the rest of the class.

{EMMA}

As class was being dismissed I felt as if someone was staring at me and when I looked up I see graham looking at me with what looks like curiosity and a tad of pity. I looked away fast and walked faster to get to the door. _Did my sleeve go up when I was writing? Did I miss hiding a couple? Does he know. Oh my gosh he knows and he's going to get me in more trouble what do I do should I go back in there and make sure he doesn't know by making a couple jokes and smiling. Emma come on think! What shou-_

"Emma come one you are going to be late and you literally just had to walk across the hall!" Elsa said while looking at me from the door way.

I didn't even realize I stopped walking in the middle of the hall. I look back and see graham in the doorway looking concerned so I try to make it better with a joke.

"Guess I was buffering, heh." While I walk faster to the other class I look back and see an almost nonexistent smirk as he turns around.

"You are so weird. But seriously you good? You spaced out for like 4 minutes there." I was about to reply with a rude comment but I looked up and she honestly has too nice of a face to be mean to or even sass.

"I'm fine," I say while touching her arm with a smile, "promise."

Then we walked into class just as the bell rang which had Mr. Booth using us for examples the rest of the class. He's really funny and makes social studies less boring, but then he had me and Elsa get up and do a skit which involved me getting on the floor. _Ouch._ I tried to hide the pain but to get back up by myself I literally couldn't. I just laid down on my back on the floor.

"Okay, Emma it's not nap time the skits over you can go back to your seat. This will teach you not to be almost late to my class!" he said with a smile which made the whole class giggle.

I tried to get up again but it really hurt and not the kind of hurt where you can just pretend it didn't happen and push through it.

"Ems, come one let's go back to our seats. He's letting us go!" Elsa said talking back over to me giggling.

I look over to the group of people who have took me under my wing and catch eyes with all of them. Wondering what would happen if I just told them. Regina seemed to be the first one to notice the fact that I wasn't really trying to get up anymore and she got up and walked over to me trying to act like she wasn't concerned which the rest of the group seemed to notice and paid closer attention.

"Are you okay, Ems? Do you need help up?" Gina whispered close to me so only I could hear.

I nodded and she stood up and noticed everyone watching so she decided to improvise.

"Guess she is just SO upset with the fact that she was ALMOST late to class that she wants to be all close and personal and be one with the lecture floor!" she grabbed my arms first to try and pull me forward and I bit my lips trying to ignore the pressure in my arms and the stinging in my eyes from tears. Thank gods she is observant because she decided then to help me up by under my armpits.

Once I got to my feet everyone was still watching me not quite sure what just happened which made me self-conscious. Regina looked at me and smiled, then we walked back over to the group where you could tell they were trying really hard not to ask me what was wrong. I sat down and let go of a huge breath while Mr. Booth kept talking to the rest of the class but every once in a while he would look back at me to check on me which I found annoying and endearing at the same time. _Yay to my drugged brain being confused._ At the end of class I saw Mr. Booth getting up from his desk to walk towards me but I really wasn't in the mood to deal with more questions. _Can I just get through the rest of the day without incident?_ Right as he was about to call my name I rushed out the door to my next class with Ms. Blanchard.

{Mary Margaret}

I was sitting in my desk as students piled through the door. Everyone looked hungry and agitated that they had to get through another class before going to stuff their faces. I heard someone else walk in the door so I looked up and saw Emma walking hastily into the classroom while at the same time looking extremely pained. I wish I knew how to talk to her, I feel like she might need to talk. Then again she doesn't seem like the kind of person that wants to talk. Maybe eventually. Class starts in a minute so I get up and start writing the assignment on the board:

 ** _Write about something that makes you unbelievably happy._**

As I wrote all the students were leaning from side to side trying to read the question, but when I finally moved everyone was reaching into their bags to grab a piece of paper to start.

"Okay guys, I want this to be no shorter than a page and a half, alright?" I told them waiting for a response to which I got some head nods and whispered yes's.

"When you are done you can just talk for the rest of the class, but try not to rush through your papers just so that you can talk." After that I went and sat at my desk and opened my email.

 _To: David Nolan_

 _Hey honey,_

 _I am so exhausted from today and I don't know why, gosh, maybe I AM getting old. Classes have been going wonderfully. I mean of course there are the couple of trouble makers but you cant have perfectly well behaved classes all the time._

 _Remember that girl Emma that ran into us at the diner? She's in this class. She looks sad. Or hurt. I don't know which one would be worse. I wish I knew what I could do. You know I'm not good at these things. Is she in any of your classes? How does she seem to you?_

 _Maybe I'll talk with her other teachers just to make sure I'm not just imagining all of this._

 _I'll find you at lunch darling! I love you!_

Two minutes later you get an instant message from David about your email. _I totally forgot that he has this on his phone so he can use it in class._

 **David:**

 **Hey sweets! Of course I remember her and I do have her in my class. I believe it is the class right after lunch. She has some friends in it which is good but I will definitely keep an eye out. You aren't being paranoid something is definitely up with her. I just hope it's nothing bad she seems really sweet.**

 _MM:_

 _Thanks Charming! I love you so much! Class is almost over meet me at the entrance? We can talk more then._

 **David:**

 **Anything for you. I love you too. And I will be leaving in a minute I can't wait.**

{Emma}

Class is almost over and I honestly couldn't think of anything that made me happy. I'm just not the kind of girl that gets a lot of things that are wonderful or marvelous! Maybe I should write how in my last home I was beat less than normal and how I liked that I actually got to sleep some nights. Or how I am so UNBELIEVABLY happy that I get to go back to a house where I don't know whether or not I will make it out alive or not. But no, instead I wrote a small paragraph about Emily. She is the only person I can count on and she is basically a baby that I'll probably never see her again. Whatever the bell is about to ring. _It's so hot in here! Ugh I want to take this jacket off! Just do it they will probably think you did it to yourself somehow. No I don't even have enough courage to take a jacket off I'm such a bitch. Time to go see my "friends"._

 **This is a weird place to leave off but I didn't know what I wanted to write after this and this is so long so I figured Id let you enjoy what I have written so far. Sorry it has taken so long! If you have any requests just tell me.**


	7. when you run until you can't

**I know I haven't written for this fic for a while. I got distracted by my other fanfiction. I apologize.  
Thank you so much for the reviews everyone! I love hearing the different opinions.! **

Before heading to the lunch room to eat, I decided to go into a bathroom stall and let my arms air out for a little bit. They were stinging like a bitch, _I should have brought more meds._ Taking of my shirt felt amazing to not have something rubbing against the cuts. I stood there inspecting every inch the top of my body. _I'm so gross._

10 minutes went by and I figure the others are probably looking for me so I put my shirt back on and grab my stuff to leave. Once I entered the almost empty hall way I headed in the direction of the lunch room. I stopped at the sight of Blanchard and Nolan talking about something. I don't know why I stopped but as soon as Nolan saw me I started walking again and faster. I think I heard him call my name but I will see him after lunch so if he really needs me then he can wait. Entering the cafeteria I walked straight over to the group everyone greeted me and I sat down in between Regina and Ruby.

"Hey Emma how was your last class?" Ruby asked politely.

"Fine, we didn't really do anything exciting." I shrugged. "You guys?"

Everyone answered, "Fine." "Normal." "Nothing interesting."

"Okay well I am going to go and grab something to eat."

"I'll go with you," Regina stated as we both stood up to head for the food options.

"Okay cool." we didn't talk for the whole walk up there but as soon as we made it to a line she decided to start.

"Are you okay?" Regina stated in concern.

Looking at her with the most confused face, "What? Why wouldn't I be?"

Regina raised her eyebrows, "Really? You couldn't get up off the floor in class. You aren't 80 and you were in obvious pain."

Emma shrugged, "maybe I was just trying to make it so Booth wouldn't have me do anymore activities."

"I doubt it, emma whats going on?"

Squinting my eyes and furrowing my brow with my hands slightly rose at my side, "would you just leave it the fuck alone. Its none of your business and I am fine okay. God." Emma then took a few steps forward since the line was moving.

"I'm just trying to help you don't need to be a bitch." She snapped back. _Good for her_.

"Bud out of my personal shit and I wouldn't have to be a bitch." I said without turning back to her.

"Whatever Emma, you can keep all your weird ass secrets to yourself I don't fucking care."

"Never asked you to, so awesome." I put a fake smile and two thumbs up at Regina and it looked like she was going to explode.

"You are such a child." she rolled her eyes and then walked away. _Good, one down five more to go._

After getting my food I walked back to the table and sat down to eat. Everyone was having their own conversations while occasionally munching on a piece from their plates. My arms are starting to hurt really badly, so I press my hands on opposite arms to try and sooth it. When that doesn't work and makes it feel worse I almost rip my shirt off not giving a damn what people say. I shoot up from my seat, noticing everyone stopping their conversations to look at me I freeze and think of an excuse to get up and leave the room.

"I have to pee. Is that okay with everyone?" I can't control my snarky comments, probably one of the reasons I haven't been adopted. No one replied so she left the room. _God damn it, why does it burn so much. I should have brought more- oh my gosh I did bring more._ I start running towards the bathroom and once I get there I go into a stall and then dig into my pocket to grab the pills. "YES!" I said louder than I wanted to. I was standing facing the toilet with my hand palm up showing me the pills.

"Emma? Are you in here?" an unexpected voice made me jump and all the pills fell into the toilet.

"fuck!" I whisper yell and twirl in a circle while stomping. Why did this person have to come in, wait why did this person know my name?

"Emma?" the voice sounded really familiar. I open the stall after I flush to see Mrs. Blanchard.

"What- why did you follow me in here?" I asked in complete confusion.

"I saw you running in here, I just figured I'd see if you were okay." She said with a smile, "Are you?"

"Yeah, I'm fine.. I just had to pee." I say walking over to the sink to wash my hands and make it look real.

"Oh, you just looked like you were in a rush when you ran pass me and Mr. Nolan."

"Yeah," I said with wide eyes and my eyebrows raised. "I _really_ had to pee." As I was washing my hands I noticed that my white shirt had some blood on it and I froze. _Shit please don't have her see._ I go to where my bag is sat and I pull out my green jacket I was wearing earlier that day to put it on. It was hard to do that without flinching because I had to stretch out my arms, but I think I managed to school my features. Blanchard looked like she was about to say something else, but I had just lost the only form of pain reliever that I had for the rest of the day.

"Look Mrs. Blanchard, I'm fine. I just had to go to the bathroom. Can I go finish the rest of my lunch now?" I said as I was walking towards the door, even if she said no I was still going to leave. I'm so done with this school.

Mary Margaret's eyes widen, "Oh of course! Sorry for keeping you."

And with that I was out of the bathroom, I shouldn't have been shocked when Mr. Nolan was standing right outside. I almost bumped into him, again, but I caught myself at the last minute and then I went pass him without even looking up.

 **{Mary Margaret's third person POV}**

After Emma ran out of the bathroom Mary Margaret sighed and then headed in the same direction out the door.

"David," she sighed. "I don't know what to do with her. She will barely talk to me or anyone. I wish she felt safe here."

David put his hand on his wife's back, "I know sweetheart. She didn't even look me in the eye when she got out here. She did almost bump into me again. Seems to be a thing between you me and her." He was trying to make light of the situation but it was really hard. Emma looked so sad and they both wanted to fix it not really knowing what is going on in her life, or realizing how bad it actually is.

"Where did she even come from? Is she a transfer? Did her family move here, I didn't know that someone knew moved into town not counting Emma?"

"I have no idea M&M, but I need to go get ready for class. We are going to the track today."

"Okay," she kisses David's cheek. "Have fun, and don't force people to join the team that don't want to David!" she said as she was walking down the hall towards her room.

"I would never!" he said faking offense.

 **{Third person point of view}**

Once Emma was done with her food she got up to throw her garbage away and put her tray up, then she walked back to the table. She felt bad that Regina wouldn't look her in the eye, she must have really fucked up their friendship. So she sat down next to where Regina was, not liking to hurt people, and apologized.

"I'm really sorry Regina."

Regina looked up a little shocked but schooled her features quickly. "You snapped at me because I was trying to make sure you are okay."

"I know, I'm sorry. It probably doesn't make sense to you but I'm not used to it."

"Not used to what?" Regina spoke as if it was impossible. "People caring?"

Emma answered truthfully for once, "Yeah." Then she got up and walked over to where Ruby and Elsa were waiting for her. If she would have looked back Emma would have saw Regina's face morph into the saddest frown she had ever seen.

However Regina was expecting that apology to go that wasn't in the top 10. She felt horrible for just leaving Emma in the line now. She also had like 20 more questions she wanted to ask her but knew she probably never would.

Emma was still in so much pain, she doesn't know how she is going to participate in p.e. maybe it will be another day where they can walk around and talk.

As soon as the three girls walked into the gym Emma knew that's not what was happening. There was nothing set up and the doors were open which means they are probably going outside. "great." She muttered under her breathe.

"It's so hooooot, why did he open the doors." Ruby complained

"We are probably going outside." Elsa informed smartly.

"I wonder what we are doing. Let's go change!" Ruby's former complaint long gone as she hopped towards the girls' locker room.

"Change?" Emma whispered to herself. _Crap I cant change everyone will see. Fuck fuck fuck fuck. Think Emma think! What's a good excuse?_

"Alright Ladies and Gents! We are going out to the track today, please go change so we have enough time to actually do some running." Nolan shouted as he was walking out of the gym office.

Everyone ran to the locker rooms except for Emma who walked towards Mr. Nolan.

"Hey Emma! What can I do for you?"

"I can't change." She said in an unconfident voice.

"Why can't you change?" David asked with furrowed eyebrows.

"Because," Emma paused for a minute. "Because I forgot to buy gym clothes."

David's forehead smoothed out, "oh we have some clothes you can use in the office." He started walking towards the office not noticing Emma wasn't following him.

 _Shit. What do I do now?_ Emma froze she had no idea how to explain this without explaining it. She started walking towards the office after him. When they got there he pulled out a box of clothes. She started going through it thinking she might be able to find something to wear that won't show.

Tank top. No.

Short sleeves. No.

Shorts. Also no.

Grey long sleeve shirt. Yes.

Another pair of shorts. No.

Leggings. Yes.

She grabbed the leggings and the long sleeve shirt. Then she looked at her teacher, "Do you have any shoes?" she asked sheepishly, feeling stupid for not coming prepared for class.

"Yeah over here. One second." He went over to a closet and grabbed another box but instead of clothes it was running shoes. There were black, white, pink, grey, yellow, blue and so many other colors. She grabbed the yellow pair. It just seems like such a bright happy color and she had always loved it. "Yellow? Really? I didn't expect that, but there you go. Now just go get ready we are running today."

"Thank you." With that she walked out of the office and into the locker room.

"There you are! Where have you been you need to hurry up and get dressed." ruby stated the moment she saw her.

"Okay. You don't have to wait for me though you can go out there with most of the class I'll be there in a minute."

"Whatever just hurry. I hope we are running!" she yells as she runs out.

"We are!" Emma yelled back then she looked around to see how many people were left in the locker room. Not wanting anyone to see her she took her arms out of the shirt she is wearing and put them in the other one, then she flipped her white long sleeved shirt off of her body while simultaneously pulling the other one onto her body. After that she looked around to check again and no one was left in the room so she saw it as safe to take off her skinnies. Once she got them fully off she heard the door open to signal someone's entry.

"Emma hurry up!" ruby yelled as she was walking further into the locker room. Emma panicked and started to rush putting her leggings on, but she tried to do it too fast and fell onto her ass. "Jesus Emma are you okay?" Ruby asked about the fall, then she saw the cuts all up and down Emma's legs and her brow furrowed along with a deep frown. "Emma, what happened to your legs?"

Emma stood up and hurriedly put on her pants, "Nothing I just had a really bad fall yesterday. I'm insanely clumsy and not used to the town yet." She tried to giggle but it came out more like she was choking on a laugh. Ruby was about to say something but Emma interrupted, "You said we were going to be late, let's go! We don't want to miss running." And then Emma was walking out the door.

Right before she exited the locker room she stopped and took a deep breath. She hates when she has to explain that kind of shit to people. Her eyes glimmering with almost tears, she pushed open the door and walked out. Ruby came out a few minutes later not looking happy at all and not even trying to hide it.

"Rubes what's wrong?" Elsa said looking worried. Emma panicked and walked away from standing by Elsa and went to the front of the group by the teacher who was now leading them outside. _Please don't tell anyone ruby. Please. I swear if she tells the school counselor I will ditch this town so fast. I can't deal with know it all shrinks._ Emma kept looking back to check if Ruby was smiling again yet. Sadly she wasn't, but it was worse Killian was now standing with them and he looked worried. _Fuck._

"Okay guys, we are going to see how fast everyone can run a mile so everyone get in a line on the track!" he was yelling so everyone could hear him but it was extremely loud and made Emma flinch multiple times because of what usually goes along with yelling.

She got in the line as far away from the other three as possible and got ready to run. She doesn't care if she is in pain from the wounds all over her body, no one can take running away from her.

"Ready! Set! Go!" Mr. Nolan blew a whistle and everyone took off. Emma under estimated how much it would hurt to move her whole body like she was, but she couldn't slow down. She would never slow down, she loved running way too much. Even though she had this positive outlook on running the blonde knew she wasn't going to be beating any of her records from this mile, but she will finish it.

Emma was in the front with some blonde girl in a bun who apparently really likes green, this very serious faced girl who she think she heard her name was Mulan, and of course then there was Ruby. The other blonde slowed down somewhat and fell a little behind, Mulan was right on Emma's heals and Ruby was at the same stride as Emma. _Please don't try and talk to me about it. Not when I'm in this much pain and running._ Emma kept side eying Ruby to make sure she was right next to her. Her legs were burning hot with pain they are on their third lap, already having passed Elsa and Killian who were on their second lap or so. "Fuck," Emma whispered in pain.

"Are you okay?" Ruby asked with so much concern she couldn't be mean.

"Yes, I am fine." I lied and smiled.

"Liar," Ruby said with a frown. "What is wrong with you? Is it your legs? Does it hurt to run?"

"I am fine!" Emma tried to run faster but it made the pain worse and she cringed.

Ruby must have been watching because she said, "You literally just made a face! You aren't fine! What happened! Why won't you tell me?"

Emma and Ruby were in their own world running against each other. It's been a few more minutes and they passed everyone else once again. If they were paying attention they would have heard grunts of "show offs!" from jealous students. "Bloody hell this is gym class not the Olympics!" from Killian and "Go Rubes and Emma!" from Elsa. The next lap where they passed Killian and Elsa seemed to notice the looks on each of their faces as they pasted because they glanced at each other in concern knowing damn well they couldn't catch up to them even if they tried their hardest.

They were half way to the finish line of the mile, "Ruby leave it alone!"

"NO! You won't explain it to me!" ruby shot back.

Emma was getting really angry, she hated it, she had nowhere to go she was in the middle of a class. She can't exactly just start running another direction and leave, no matter how tempting that is. "I. Told. You. What. Happened." She really didn't want to lose her temper on Ruby. She really liked her as a friend, but she's ruining it right now. She is mad and in pain and she just wants to go to her room and never leave. They were inches from the finish line where Mr. Nolan was waiting.

"No you didn't you made some weird ass excuse then ran out of the room! You really think I would believe that I am not as dumb as I am pretty!" They both passed the finish line and stopped running.

"RUBY FUCKING STOP SERIOUSLY! Leave me the fuck alone!" Emma somewhat lost it. She can't take the badgering and the pain all tied up in a pretty bow of I get to go home and don't know what I am walking into. She just couldn't.

Most were really close behind but even if they weren't Emma screamed pretty loud. She hated when she made a scene but ruby kept poking and asking and it was enough.

Ruby looked scared for a second because she wasn't expecting the volume knowing Emma is quiet, then she looked mad that still Emma wasn't going to tell her but lastly she ended on looking at Emma in pity even though she didn't know why. Emma saw that look and it made her look even madder.

"Emma? Ruby? What's going on?" said David. He had noticed some tension before class and as they were running but he just assumed it would pass.

Ruby ignored David and looked at Emma, "No! You have to talk to someone, if not me pick someone else I don't care, but you need to tell the truth!"

"Are you kidding me?" Emma scoffed. "You have known me for THREE days Ruby! You don't get to decide what I _have_ to do! You aren't my foster parent!" Emma was seething so much so she almost didn't notice she let slip that she was a foster kid. She did notice though and it made the day worse.

"Emma-" ruby started

"Shut. Up." Emma said.

Killian and Elsa both decided to cut through the field to come check on them when the fight started so they were standing there along with half the class. David was standing next to the girls trying to get them both to calm down. Apparently Emma was the one that need the most calming down though because Ruby seemed fine. David walked up closer to Emma which was apparently the bad choice because Emma flinched so hard. Backing up immediately David honestly had no idea what to do, he hasn't been her teacher that long. Ruby, Elsa and Killian all saw the flinch and it confused them and made them sad all at once. None of them knew how to make her feel better either, Emma was right, they don't know her.

Emma was panicking, so many strangers. She didn't know anyone or anything about this town. They are all staring, why are they staring? _Please stop staring. Just go away. I need to get away._ Emma started to walk backwards slowly and then she turned and started running towards the gate that was surrounding the track and led out of the school yard. Hearing faint voices from behind her, she didn't stop.

"EMMA!" David yelled along with Ruby, Killian and Elsa who are all running towards her. They weren't fast enough to catch up.

Emma hopped over the fence like it was something she did every day and then continued to run through the town trying to find a place where she could stop and feel safe. Her arms and legs are burning but she can't stop she needs to be safe first.

Back at the school none of them jumped the fence. All three of her friends tried to but David stopped them.

"Mr. Nolan, she- I need to go apologize. I was pushing her way too hard, I shouldn't have. I knew she didn't want to talk." Ruby had tears in her eyes as Elsa rubbed her back for comfort.

"Ruby," David was conflicted he, himself wanted to jump the fence and go after to make sure she was okay, but he couldn't. "We have to get back inside."

"Seriously? It's the last period. Just let me go."

"I can't I am a teacher. I will lose my job." Even he was annoyed with the answer and he was the one who said it. "Let's go inside." When no one moved he added, "Now!"

All three of the students began to walk back to the school in silence.

When class was over and everyone left the gym David went and got Emma's clothes out of the girls' locker room along with her back pack. Putting the clothes in her bag, he left in a hurry to his wife's classroom.

MM was happy to see her husband up until she saw his face, "what's wrong?" she said shooting up from her desk and walking to meet him halfway.

"Emma, she ran off campus today during gym class."

"What!? Why?" MM said rather loudly as she grabbed her things to leave.

"She and Ruby were fighting the whole time they ran the mile. I figured it was something they did to keep their minds off the running but once they made it at the end Emma exploded and screamed at Ruby to basically back off. Ruby made a comment and then Emma made a comment about Ruby not being another one of her foster parents who think they can force her to do anything." David was trying his best to get it all out, "Then Emma seemed to freeze because of what she said so I tried to step closer to her and make sure she was okay, she flinched so hard MM. Then she just turned and ran right off of school property. I tried to catch up to her but she is waaay too fast." David felt really bad for not letting her friends go after her, but they could get into serious trouble if they got caught. Plus Emma didn't really seem to want them by her.

"David," she whispered sadly. "She's in the foster system at this age, still?"

"I want to go look for her. I got all her things from the locker room so we can head out now to look." He started to leave the room, "MM she was in so much pain."

MM frowned, "We should let her par- foster parents know what's going on."

David wasn't too sure about that but he couldn't say anything she wasn't his kid and if she was he would want to know if she ran away, "Yeah probably. Do you know who is fostering her?"

"No but let me go to the office and see if I can find out. If not I'm sure Granny knows."

"Okay go." He went out to the car throwing Emma's stuff in the back seat and started the car.

MM came running out the door with a paper, she got in the car and said, "Victor Whale, that's who is fostering Emma."

"Whale? He never mentioned anything about wanting a kid."

"I know it's strange."

David left the parking lot and started towards Whale's house. Once they got their both of them got out of the car and walked up to the front porch knocking on the door. They heard footsteps coming towards them so the backed up a little bit.

"Hello," victor said with confusion written on his face. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

David and MM stood silent for a minute neither one wanting to be the one who told but David caved. Mostly because he really wanted to go look for Emma.

"You foster Emma correct?"

"Yeah," he thought for a minute. "She should be home from school by now, but I haven't seen her throughout the house."

"She left school during 6th period really upset and we don't know where she went."

"We thought it would be the right thing to tell you, but we are going to be looking around for her too. We want to make sure she is okay." Mary Margaret added onto David's statement.

"Oh, I hope she's okay! She needs to get home before its dark out." Victor faked worry but no one noticed it was fake.

"Okay well we will go in separate directions to find her. I'm sure Ruby and their group of friends are looking around as well."

"Thank you so much for telling me." Victor said as he walked passed them to start to look for her. _The little bitch better not have told or she better be in a really good hiding spot._

David and MM walked one way while he went the other, "I don't like him."

"David you don't even know him."

"He doesn't seem right. I never liked him. Why did he start fostering kids?"

"I don't know sweetie, but obviously the system thinks he is qualified to do so." She grabbed his hand as they walked down the street looking in every alley they passed. David shrugged but stopped complaining about Victor, for now.

"Where did she go?" he whispered more to himself than anyone else.

"EMMA!" he heard someone scream from farther down the street, it sounded like someone searching for her.

"Who is that?" MM said.

"EMMA!" the voice got closer and when they finally spotted it they saw Ruby and Regina running next to each other.

"Girls!" David yelled loud enough for them to hear.

"Mr. Nolan, Mrs. Blanchard! Have you seen Emma? I'm really worried!" Ruby ran over to the couple with Regina hot on her heals.

"No but we are out looking for her right now. Have you guys hung out after school or anything?" David asked.

"No we just met her yesterday and she doesn't really seem like the kind of person who immediately hangs out with people." Regina stated.

"We checked at the diner, over by the docks, towards the town line. Oh Regina! Let's go check over by the park." Forgetting they were talking to people they ran off to look for Emma.

"So we should look in the forest and by the water somewhere. Those would be the two places I would go." David said and started walking in that direction, pulling MM with him. "We'll go to the water first, then the forest."

The got to the water and didn't see anyone around there, they checked the abandoned play castle and all along the shore line. She wasn't by the water.

Next stop was the woods, it was a big area but they have lived there their whole lives. They walked the path for a couple hours before they spotted bright blonde hair and bright yellow shoes sitting curled up against the old wishing well. MM and David started to walk a little faster once they saw her, "Emma." They both sighed in relief to see her not physically harmed.

Emma's head shot up while simultaneously pulling her sleeves back over her arms, "What are you doing here?"

"You ran off during class Emma, did you really expect me not to come searching for you to make sure you were okay?" David said obviously and Emma didn't say a word.

"Are you okay sweetie?" MM added on to fill the silence.

"I'm fine." They both stood there waiting for her to add on, "Ruby just really annoyed the crap out of me. She wouldn't drop the subject when I asked her multiple times to do so."

"What were you talking about?" MM inquired.

"It doesn't matter now." Emma shrugged.

"They are out looking for you, you know." David added with raised eyebrows and a smile on his face. "Ruby feels really bad for everything."

"No they aren't, don't patronize me."

"I promise you. I give you my word that we ran into them while looking for you. They were headed towards the park to check there."

"Words don't mean much to me. Neither do promises. So that didn't really help your case."

"Well they might not mean much to you but they mean everything to me, so if I give my word to you that means I would die before I broke it."

Emma didn't know what to say to that. After a few minutes of silence, "You can go now. I'll go home in a few minutes. I don't need you to baby sit me."

"About that," David started looking from MM to Emma. "We kinda to-"

"Emma, there you are." Victor stated walking up to them.

Emma hurried and stood up, white as a sheet and stiff as a board. David didn't like the reaction Emma had to seeing her foster parent.

"Emma are you okay?" David asked about to walk over to her but Victor rushed to her and put his arms around her.

"I'm so happy you are okay. You had me worried sick!" Victor stated while squeezing her shoulders, "We should get home you probably have homework and need a shower or whatever teenage girls do, am I right?" he laughed but no one else did.

David repeated his last question, "Emma, Are you okay?"

Victor squeezed her shoulders really tight as a warning. She nodded her head yes quickly, "Yeah, fine."

"We should get going. It's almost dark." He pushed Emma to start walking back towards town.

MM and David stood there staring after the two figures.

"What just happened?" MM asked.

"I don't know, but I didn't like it one bit." David said his fists clenched at his sides.

They both started walking back to town as well keeping an eye on the two figures further ahead.

"Tomorrow we need to talk to Emma again at school."

"Agreed." Mary Margaret looked up at David.

Since they parked at Grannies they decided to go in and see if Ruby was back yet so that they could tell her and her friends.

"Hey Granny is Ruby here?"

"Yeah she just got home a few minutes ago she was quite upset."

"Can you get her to come down here, we have something to tell her."

"Sure thing." Granny left to go get her.

5 minutes later Ruby comes running down the stairs, "did you find her? Is she okay? How mad at me is she? Does she hate me?"

Mary Margaret put her hands on the anxious girls' shoulders to calm her down. "We did find her, she was in the woods by the old wishing well. I think she was still upset but we didn't really get to talk much because Victor showed up to get her."

"Victor? Oh is that her foster dad?" Granny was confused about that just as much as everyone else. He never said he wanted kids.

"Yeah apparently." David said bitterly.

"So she went home and she will be at school tomorrow?" Ruby sat with a huff.

"Yeah she should be there. We just figured you would really like to know she wasn't out there anymore, tell your other friends as well, I'm sure they would love to know."

"Okay I will. Thank you for looking for her and finding her." After Ruby ran upstairs to text everyone that Emma was at her home MM and David got up to go to their own house. None of them having the slightest clue of what was happening to Emma when they got back to Victor's house. You could say Emma doesn't have to imagine what is in the basement anymore.

 **YAY another chapter! Tell me what you think of it! REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW I love hearing your opinons. Even though it does make me sad when you are mean or when you correct tiny errors in my writing. Literally everyone makes mistakes.**

 **There was some more David and MM in this chapter than I thought there would be but it just needed to happen. I always love the ruby emma friendship when I read ff so don't hate me for the RedSwan brotp happening.**

 **I STILL DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD MAKE THIS SWANQUEEN OR CAPTAINSWAN PLEASE VOTE BY TELLING ME IN THE REVIEWS!**

 **Thank you so much for reading my Fanfiction. I love you!**


	8. when you give up on your own life

_**Emma Hates herself in this fiction, she doesn't think she deserves love and life has proven her logic right. She is depressed and even though I wont go into detail about it, she is having suicidal thoughts. She just doesn't care to live anymore, she lost all hope and no longer sees a dim light at the end of the tunnel. She just sees a life of pain and she doesn't want it anymore, she wants it to end.**_

 _ **I don't have a lot of muse for this story right now so just a fair warning.**_

Victor opened the basement door, through it all you could see was a black abyss of nothingness. Emma didn't really know what to expect, but she would have to say that this was creepier. He makes her walk down first, millions of scenarios and ideas running through her head on what's waiting for her at the bottom.

"I'm really sorry," Emma says. "I didn't mean to be late I promise I didn't tell anyone anything."

Victor laughed, "of course you didn't tell anyone anything, no one would listen to someone like you."

They continue walking down the stairs, it feels like the staircase is going on forever. When she gets down to the bottom, taking her last step, she can't see anything in front of her. That is until Victor walks over to the side and flips a switch, illuminating the room showing everything. There was a chair with straps on it, next to it were what Emma presumed to be his torture devices and then there was a cage with a dirty mattress laying at the bottom of it. As soon as Emma processed what she was seeing she turned running back up the stairs but victor caught her yanking her back by her hair causing Emma to fly backwards hitting her head on the concrete floor. She thought, what did I do to deserve this. Victor walks up to her and hovers above her with a creepy smile on his face. "You cannot escape bitch," victor yells in her face. "No matter how many times you try and run away no one will save you, no one will believe you and no one will care."

Emma flinched at every word that he said knowing that it was all true. Who would believe her over a respected doctor? "Now," Victor purred vindictively. "We are going to spend all night and morning until school in here together. Then when you get out of school you better march your little ass right back down these stairs and get into your cage."

"I didn't do anything, I don't know what's going on please just let me go up to my room, I'll be quiet you won't even know I'm there." Emma begged him practically pleading, she doesn't want to do this right now. She doesn't have the energy in her to fight back.

He doesn't even acknowledge her with a response, he just takes her arm tightly and walks her over to the chair.

"Please," she begs. Emma never begs, or at least she never used to but she was so scared. She didn't know what this man was capable of and she just wants to leave, never look back.

He straps her down so that she can't run away, the silence was driving Emma mad. What was he going to do? Was he going to touch her? Torture her? She has no idea what is happening and that's what scared her the most.

She tries to break out of the wrist restraints even though she already knew it wasn't going to work. She couldn't just lay there and not do anything though, so she yanked and screamed trying to break free.

The next thing she felt was a hard punch to the gut, he was smarter than to punch her in the face causing a bruise. The wind was knocked out of her from her stomach and she whimpers while coughing at the force.

"Stop screaming, it's annoying." He glared at her and then walked over to the table where there were mysterious tools.

She was blinking in and out of consciousness,

"Emma, it's going to be okay sweetie. Keep fighting."

She knew that voice, she's heard it recently but it's not clicking in her mind who it was.

"Emma, don't fight back. He'll just hurt you more," A familiar man said.

"I just wanna go to sleep mommy, daddy." She whimpered in a tired voice as tears fell down her cheeks.

"Go to sleep, sleep is important for your health."

"Yes, kiddo, sleep. You'll wake up feeling refreshed."

Emma blinked her eyes noticing the man, the horrible man who is her legal guardian right now. She doesn't even have strength to fight anymore, she just wants it to end. She wants her time at fighting to be over, if this is where her life ends she would be okay with it. The only thought she had in her mind is that Emily will think she abandoned her too. She didn't want to do that to her, but she needs to think about herself, she just wants to be free.

Her eyes closed.

She was asleep.

Wetness. Cold. Panic.

Those are the things she felt in the morning when she woke up, she didn't fully understand the emotions at first, but then she noticed Whale was standing with a bucket of ice cold water over her. He had just thrown some on her to wake her up so he could watch as she feels the bone shattering coolness torture her once more.

"Wake up, you have school soon and you need to clean up so you look decent." He undoes her restraints and walks up the stairs as if he hadn't spent the whole night doing unspeakable things to her.

She doesn't answer him but she does try and stand up, it's a lot harder than she expected. The pain shot through her and she fell over the table to catch her balance.

The trip upstairs was horrible, there aren't even words to explain how hard it was for Emma to not just lay on the floor and cry in the fetal position. Why does this always happen to her, doesn't she get to have a happy ending? When she made it to the bathroom she started a bath and practically collapsed into it, the cuts stung as well as the bruises. Moving any way made it unbearably painful for her, how was she supposed to make it through a whole school day let alone walk to school.

After her bath, she stood up and looked at herself in the mirror. She wasn't a kid anymore, she no longer had a glimmer of hope that anything would be okay. Emma wanted everything to end at this point, nothing was worth going through a whole night of that psycho's torture. There were marks all over her hips and inner thighs, she had hand prints all over her stomach. When he got bored with using his hands he grabbed a weapon of choice, unsurprisingly he chose a scalpel. She had words cut into her, words she already felt about herself. Having seen enough of herself she grabs a towel and covers most of the pain before walking to her room to get ready. Slipping into leggings and a tank top with a flannel was the easiest and most comfortable choice, she let her hair flow freely and air dry. Instead of putting her contacts in she wore her frame glasses, she hasn't cracked a single smile all morning. There was no longer anything to smile about, he ruined life for her.

He took her will to live.

She sucked in all the strength she had left and headed out for school, today was going to be really hard since all her friends will question her as well as her teachers. Everyone cared more in this school than she was used to and she wasn't sure if she should like it or not.

"Morning Em," Regina said cautiously walking up next to Emma.

"Hey," Her voice was raspier than she wanted it to be and it caused the brunette's head to turn and look at her curiously.

"You getting sick?"

Of course that's what she thinks, why would Regina assume that she almost lost her voice from screaming for someone to save her all night. "Yeah, must be."

"I'm sorry, dear, that's horrible. Granny's has the most amazing chicken noodle soup if you want to maybe get some. Ruby said she's pretty sure that Granny put a magical spell on it to cure all sicknesses." She smirks and nudges Emma softly.

Emma groans, "Fuck! Don't do that." she had to physically stop walking to stop herself from passing out right there.

"I barely hit you Emma, don't be dramatic." Regina rolls her eyes and crosses her arms, even though she put on a tough exterior she internally worried for why Emma was hurt so bad.

"Fuck you," Emma spoke tiredly and then started walking again, she avoided looking in Regina's direction the rest of the walk. They split for their own lockers once they made it into the school, Emma grabbed her books and headed to her first period. Dropping her books onto the desk she has been sitting at she plops down clenching her eyes shut. The feeling of sitting was an amazing relief as well as extremely painful.

She can do this, she can make it through the whole day without setting anyone off.


	9. when you finally want someone to help

Emma was exhausted, she just wanted the day to be over yet she was terrified of what was to come. She feels like an idiot for actually planning on going back to Victor's after school, if she doesn't she's scared that he will know and find her which would only make it worse. Her class periods blurred together, she only heard a jumble of voices and saw familiar faces. If she looked closer she would be able to tell that when she was around her friends they all looked worried about her. She couldn't see it though, she wasn't looking and she honestly gave up on everything. It was like the day was playing in fast forward yet in slow motion and she couldn't get a grasp on the world around her. Maybe it was because of the unbearable pain in her stomach, or the fact that she is pretty sure that Victor is going to kill her when she went back there tonight. He's mentioned multiple times to her that he knows how to hide a body and that he has done it before, why would he waste his time on her?

Ruby and Regina were standing in front of Emma's desk where she hadn't stood up from yet, they have been trying to get her to go with them. They didn't really know what to do with Emma or how to make her feel better so they did the only thing they could think of. They told someone they trusted, Mr. Nolan, someone who Emma also seemed fond of not that there was much they knew about Emma.

"Emma," Ruby says softly trying one more time to get the blonde to stand up. They had to head to government class with Mr. Booth, but they were just going to lead her to Mrs. Blanchard's class instead where they know David will be.

"We have to get her to that room, something is really wrong with her," Regina said in a voice that no longer even tried to hide how concerned she was about her.

Ruby looked over at Regina, "We can't just lift her you said you barely bumped into her this morning and she looked like she was going to pass out. What if we hurt her?"

The regal brunette sighs, "I don't know what to do Ruby. She needs to go and talk to them they are the only two I know that she even remotely likes-god knows why."

"Let's just-" She crouches down next to Emma and makes sure not to touch her. "-Emma, hey we have to go to our next class come on."

Emma stands up finally hearing them but still isn't fully cognitive to hear they have been talking about her this whole time. She follows them blindly into Mary- Margaret's classroom where David was sitting at a student's desk next to Mary-Margaret's teacher desk. They were sharing their lunches when they looked over at the three people entering the room, usually no one bothers them. The moment that they saw Emma they both stood up, Emma just went and sat in one of the desks.

"Emma?" MM says gently walking over to her with David trailing behind her with a concerned look.

"Don't touch her," Regina says and when the married couple looks over at her she finishes the statement. "It might hurt her earlier when Emma and I were walking to school I nudged her gently and she looked like she was in a lot of pain. She has been acting really weird and we are worried about her."

MM looks over at the girl, she looks so sad and her eyes were fogged over like she was thinking way too hard. She sits in a chair next to the blonde and looks up at David for support, who immediately gives it by resting his hand on her shoulder. "Emma sweetie," She says softly trying to get her attention.

Emma couldn't concentrate, her stomach hurt so much and she could feel the etchings of the words into her skin. Orphan carved right under her belly button, worthless carved on her rib cage, slut right above her belly button. She felt the way he pushed the blade into her skin over and over, she doesn't think the feeling will ever go away. She feels the way his hands pushed between her legs and for the first time since she got to school she lets out a scared whimper feeling like she was back in the basement. "I don't want to go back," she cries out and looks around finally noticing her surroundings and then shutting her mouth.

Ruby and Regina were startled by the first words that their friend had spoken since the walk to school. Emma can tell she probably looks pathetic and she makes sure to avoid their eyes, when she looks to her left she sees MM and David. It makes her want to cry all over again and beg them not to let her go back, she won't survive if she goes back.

"To Victor's?" David said gently not to spook her into clamming up, "Emma what happened, why don't you want to go back?" MM puts her hand in David's, trying to help him calm slightly.

Emma just looks at David, her eyes are so sad and she doesn't know how to ask for help. She's never asked for help before and she doesn't know if they would actually help her or make it worse. "I don't know how to ask," she whispers to them with her voice raspy and sore.

"You don't know how to ask what?" MM encourages Emma gently, looking over at Regina and Ruby to make sure they are okay as well. They look scared like they were about to start bawling at the sight of their scared friend. She makes eye contact with them and nods to the door asking them silently to leave, Regina looks hesitant like she doesn't want to leave her friend, but Ruby takes her hand and drags her out of the room.

Emma sucks her lip into her mouth, she is struggling within her mind whether or not to continue. She looks at Mary Margaret and sees that she just looks concerned, same with David. "For help," her voice cracks and a tear falls down her cheek.

MM moved to get closer to the girl with a sad smile displayed on her lips. "You just did Emma, and I'm so proud of you."

Emma flinches away on instinct which makes her wince, "I- you shouldn't be proud of me. I don't deserve it, I'm not worth it." She held her hand over her stomach and closed her eyes in pain.

The pixie cut woman watched the pain radiate from Emma, "Sweetie you are so worth it. What's wrong with your stomach?"

Emma shakes her head and lets out a small cry, "I can't show you or it'll be worse tonight. I cant- he'll kill me, I'm sorry!" Her head was filled with visions of what happened to her last night, all the things he told her that she deserved, that she brought upon herself.

David finally stepped in to talk, "Em you aren't going back there. You are going to come home with us, you'll be safe and we aren't letting him near you." Emma looked up at him to see if he was being truthful, "I promise."

She bites her lip and takes a shuttering breath before gently lifting her shirt to show her stomach with the words carved into her. They both gasped not expecting that and David looked like he was about to kill someone.

"Oh Emma," She said softly and ran over to her desk for the first aid box that she has. "did you clean them?" Emma shook her head telling her no, "Okay you know what let's take the rest of the day off and get you home." Mary-Margaret stood and looked at David, "Can you go tell them that we are leaving? I'll get Emma to the car, we can't take her to the hospital because Whale is there so we will take her home and I'll call one of my nurse friends to come over." David nods and leaves through the door.


End file.
